General Atlantic-backed Acko cuts 5% of workforce ahead of IPO
21 Apr 2026, 12:33 PMAcko's Chief Marketing Officer Ashish Mishra has also quit the company.
Share the story on
Acko has cut roughly 60 employees, about 5% of its headcount, the Mint reported, amid the General Atlantic-backed insurtech startup's plans to go public.
In response to The Head and Tale queries, a company spokesperson confirmed the development.
Around 60 people out of the 1,200-person organisation will transition out as Acko realigns its teams around AI-first workflows, performance benchmarks, and the skill sets required for its next phase of growth.
The affected employees will stay in the company till June.
Separately, Acko's Chief Marketing Officer Ashish Mishra has resigned.
Mishra has decided to move on to pursue other interests. Nitin Khanna, currently VP-Marketing, will be stepping into the role of Chief Marketing Officer.
The job cuts and management change comes as the insurtech company is preparing to float its initial public offering (IPO) in this fiscal year FY27. If the IPO goes through, it will join other new age insurtech companies PB Fintech and Go Digit on the exchanges.
Acko, founded in 2016 by Varun Dua and Ruchi Deepak, had gained unicorn status in 2021 after raising $255 million as part of its Series D funding round led by General Atlantic and Multiples at a valuation of $1.1 billion. In October 2024, The Economic Times had reported that Acko was in talks to close $120 million in a secondary deal. Last year, former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni made a strategic investment in Acko. It also counts Accel, Elevation Capital and Amazon as its backers.
The insurtech startup recorded a 35% jump in operating revenue to Rs 2,836.8 crore in FY25 while its net loss decreased to Rs 424.4 crore from Rs 669.9 crore in FY24.
Startups and new-age firms, particularly those nearing public market debuts, have been trimming roles to improve operating leverage and margins.
Last month, Walmart-backed Flipkart laid off approximately 300–500 employees, representing 1.5% to 4% of its workforce, as part of annual performance reviews ahead of its planned IPO.
(The story has been updated to include Acko spokesperson’s response)
Who Reads Us
“I enjoy reading The Head and Tale for their coverage on the Fintech landscape. The reporting is incisive and honest, and it demonstrates a sharp understanding of the industry and the issues that concern it. I'd like to extend my best wishes to Arti for her continued success.”
“Well-researched, informative and analysis based reporting makes an interesting read. 'The Head and Tale' news portal has been demonstrating this quite well covering fintech and emerging tech sectors. Their timely updates, exclusive stories and different perspectives on these sectors help me stay informed. Kudos to Arti Singh for pursuing her passion and best wishes to the team.”
“The Head and Tale stands out for its deep industry knowledge and impressive network of sources. I especially appreciate that the reporting remains independent, rarely resorting to paid puff pieces, making it a publication I can genuinely trust. Having followed Arti’s work for years, I’ve come to rely on The Head and Tale for its unparalleled insight and truly independent coverage. Arti’s long-standing presence in the sector means her reporting is always informed, with access few can match.”
“What I really appreciate about The Head and Tale is that it doesn’t just report the news, it interprets it. The stories are well-researched, comprehensive, and bold. Arti brings a fearless lens to reporting, often asking the uncomfortable but necessary questions. She makes you pause, reflect, and rethink what it all means for the payments and fintech ecosystem. It’s rare to find journalism that’s this sharp, timely, and relevant to the work we do every day.”
“I’ve always valued journalism that goes beyond surface-level headlines. The Head and Tale does exactly that - it connects the dots, asks the tough questions, and brings clarity to the shifts shaping our evolving industry. I’ve even encouraged my team members to subscribe, because staying informed through credible, deeply reported stories is as important as building products. For me, The Head and Tale has become part of essential reading.”
